CHAPTER XXX
GOOD NEWS--CONCLUSION
There were the usual cheers first by the victors and then by thevanquished, and it would be hard to say which were the heartiest. ForMorningside was a good loser and next to a well-beaten rival, she loveda staunch victorious one.
"You fellows certainly did us up good and proper--the worst beating weever got," admitted Captain Dalton to Ward.
"That's what we came here for," was the reply. "It was Joe's twirlingthat did it."
"Get out!" cried the modest pitcher.
"Yes, that certainly held us down," went on Dalton. "We couldn't seemto find you. I'll need some new pitchers next season, I guess, for youcertainly batted Ted and Sam all over. But I'm not kicking. How are youfixed for next year, Joe? Don't you want to come to Morningside?" and helaughed.
"I don't know," answered our hero. "I haven't quite made up my mind whatI shall do. I'm going to play ball, I know that much, anyhow."
"I should think you would--any fellow who can twirl the horsehide as youcan. Well, might as well get off these togs," spoke Dalton. "I won'tneed 'em here any more this season, though I'm going to join someamateur team for the vacation if I can."
The cheering and yelling kept up for some time; and then with theglorious Blue Banner, that meant so much to them in their possession,the Excelsior Hall lads started back for the school.
"So you don't know what you are going to do next season, eh, Joe?" askedTom, as he and his chum were riding back. "I thought you'd stick onhere."
"Well, I'd like to, first rate but I don't know how dad's business isgoing to be since this second robbery. I may have to leave school."
"Oh, I hope not. So they haven't any trace of the missing papers andmodels?"
"Not according to what I last heard. I'm going to get on the trail ofthat scamp, Holdney, this vacation, though."
As might have been guessed, there was a big banquet for the baseball teamthat night. And such a spread as it was, held in the big gymnasium.Every player came in for his share of praise, and there was so much of itfor Joe; and his health was drunk in soda and ginger ale so often thathis complexion was like that of Peaches'--red and white by turns. Butnearly everyone felt that he deserved all the nice things that were saidabout him, not only for his share in the victory, but for what he hadsuffered.
There were two absentees at the banquet--and only two. One was HiramShell and the other Luke Fodick. Luke humbly told Dr. Fillmore that hethought it best to leave the school after what had happened. The gooddoctor thought so, too, for it would have been hard for Luke to livedown what he had done.
As for Hiram, he said nothing, but when he knew that Luke had made hisconfession, the bully, after using harsh language to his former crony,quietly packed his things and went also. He sent word to Sam, atMorningside, that "the jig" was up, and there was a pre-vacation vacancyon the books of that institution.
It was never definitely stated who had pulled down the statue, but thewithdrawal of Hiram, Luke and Sam was confession enough.
It was in the midst of the banquet, when Joe had been called upon torespond to the toast, "The Baseball Nine," that a messenger was seen toenter with a telegram.
"It's for Joe Matson," the boy announced loudly enough for all to hear."Gee, but he's de stuff; eh? I'd like to shake hands wit a pitcher likedat! I'm goin' t' be one mysel' some day. Here's de tick-tick, sport,"and he passed the message to Joe, at the same time regarding our herowith worshipful eyes.
Joe read the message at a glance, and a change came over his face.
"No bad news, I hope," murmured Tom, who stood near him.
"No, it's the very best!" cried the young pitcher, and he showed Tom thetelegram. "I wired dad that we'd won the game," Joe stated.
Mr. Matson said in his telegram:
"Best of congratulations. Models and papers recovered. Everything all right."
"Hurray!" yelled Tom, waving the message above his head. "Three cheersfor Baseball Joe!" and, when the cheers had subsided he briefly informedhis mates what the telegram meant to our hero. Mr. Matson would stillretain his fortune, and probably make more money than ever out of hispatents.
"Gee! Dis is great!" murmured the diminutive messenger, as he listenedto the cheers and watched the jolly crowd of students. "I wish I wasstudyin' here!"
Joe shook the messenger's hand and left in it a crisp bill, to show hisappreciation of the good news the lad had brought. And the toasting, thecheering and singing went on again.
"Now you can continue your studies," said Tom to Joe.
"Yes, I suppose so," was the answer.
"Maybe I'll even go to college."
What were his further fortunes on the diamond I shall tell you in thenext book of this series, to be called: "Baseball Joe at Yale; orPitching for the College Championship." In that we shall see him inadventures as strenuous as any he had yet encountered.
"One last song, fellows, and then we'll quit!" called Peaches. "I wantyou all to join with me in singing: 'For He's a Jolly Good Fellow,' andby '_He_' I mean Joe Matson--Baseball Joe!"
And as the strains of that ever-jolly, and yet somewhat sad, song aredying away, we will take our leave for a time of Baseball Joe and hisfriends.
THE END
Baseball Joe on the School Nine; or, Pitching for the Blue Banner Page 30
